USA2 SPOTLIGHT

Join “The State of Care: Disrupting Alzheimer’s” event from The Atlantic on September 12, 2018 in Chicago. Leading experts and key stakeholders gather for a national conversation about how Alzheimer’s and an aging population will burden the country’s healthcare system. Speakers include UsAgainstAlzheimer’s Chairman and Co-Founder George Vradenburg, WomenAgainstAlzheimer’s President Jill Lesser, AfricanAmericansAgainstAlzheimer’s Executive Director Stephanie Monroe, and LatinosAgainstAlzheimer’s Patient/Caregiver Advocate Daisy Duarte.

MUST READS

A September 9, 2018 NPR article spotlighted the "germ theory" of Alzheimer's disease, which is slowly gaining traction after being virtually ignored for decades. Neurosurgeons die from Alzheimer's at a seven-fold higher rate than from other disorders, and people whose spouses have dementia are at a six-times greater risk. Recent news has focused on the link between the herpes virus and Alzheimer’s. Alzheimer’s Germ Quest is offering $1 million for proof that Alzheimer’s is infectious and caused by a germ (bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites). Also covered by BioSpace.

A September 4, 2018 The New York Times article, by Elizabeth Yuko, told her story about first-hand experience with long distance caregiving. Her mother is ill and lives many states away. Yuko is part of a clinical trial on distance caregiving by researchers at Case Western Reserve University, using videoconferencing for family members to “attend” appointments with their loved ones.

SEX MATTERS

A September 4, 2018 Barron’s “Focus on Funds” article looked at the retirement wealth gap between men and women. On average, women outlive their spouses, and earn less and take more time out of their careers for caregiving than men. For women, longevity can mean that when they need care, there is no spouse to provide it. According to the article, “More than half of the widows said they and their spouse didn't have a plan in place for what would happen if one of them died. That can be especially challenging for women.”

CAREGIVING CORNER

An August 30, 2018 The Washington Post Business article reported that Microsoft will ink contracts only with service providers who give their employees 12 weeks of paid family leave. According to Heather Boushey of the Washington Center for Equitable Growth, “Microsoft’s policy is significant because service workers rarely have access to paid family leave. Everyone cares about what workers are getting at the marquee firm, but no one cares about the smaller suppliers, the firms that are providing the housekeeping services, the janitorial services, the reception services.”

ALZ TECH

A September 5, 2018 Los Angeles Times article and video focused on a new program in Los Angeles County to help locate people with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia who wander off and go missing. Sheriff’s deputies utilize technology tracking bracelets through radio frequency. According to the article, “A family member or caretaker of an individual who has autism, Alzheimer’s, dementia or some other cognitive impairment can apply for a bracelet through L.A. Found. Once approved, they can purchase a bracelet at a cost of $325 from the nonprofit organization Project Lifesaver, which works with municipalities to apply the location technology.”